SANTA FE— Attorney General Hector Balderas announced that the State of New Mexico filed suit against the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the United States seeking to stop them from indefinitely storing the nation’s supply of high level radioactive waste in Southeastern New Mexico. The March 29 complaint alleges that the NRC is acting beyond the scope of its authority in licensing the proposed interim storage facility to be located in Lea and Eddy counties and that the interim storage facility will jeopardize the state’s water resources and agricultural interests and shift the enormously expensive job of training and equipping first responders to the state and local...

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — Navajo Nation First Lady Phefelia Nez and Second Lady Dottie Lizer were joined by President Jonathan Nez, Vice President Myron Lizer, Navajo Nation Veterinary Management, and the Navajo Nation Animal Control Program Feb. 19 to sign a proclamation to recognize the month of February as the “Navajo Nation Pet Spay and Neuter Awareness Month” to encourage Navajo citizens to spay and neuter their pets to avoid the overpopulation of kittens and puppies.

The proclamation declares a critical need to increase awareness of the overpopulation of domestic animals on the Navajo Nation. Overpopulation contributes to these animals suffering from infectious diseases and...

Twenty-one more communities were added to the Navajo Department of Health’s list of places with “uncontrolled spread” of COVID-19 from Feb. 5 to Feb. 18.

The communities added included Baca/Prewitt, Birdsprings, Bodaway/Gap, Chichiltah, Churchrock, Coyote Canyon, Crownpoint, Dennehotso, Iyanbito, Leupp, Lukachukai, Nahatadxiil, Nahodoishgish, Rock Springs, Shiprock, St. Michaels, Tachee/Blue Gap, Tohatchi, Tuba City, Twin Lakes, Upper Fruitland, but not Gallup, according to a press release distributed by the Navajo Department of Health.

In a statement, Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said  the Nation had set a new goal to administer at least 120,000 doses of the COVID-19...

NEW COLOR WILL OFFER LOWER RESTRICTIONS TO COVID DASHBOARD

SANTA FE — The state of New Mexico’s Red-Yellow-Green framework for aligning county-level requirements and guidelines with local virus risk has been modified to permit more day-to-day and commercial activities, reflecting the improving COVID-19 outlook across the state as New Mexicans help drive down transmission and vaccine distribution contributes to decreased community spread.

The framework includes a new least restrictive level where all categories of business can operate indoors with minimal occupancy limitations, depending on the risk level of the activity. A county will reach this least restrictive level, the...